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The Underdog: A Celebration of Mutts
Behold the mutt, not only the most popular “breed” in America—comprising 60 percent of the dogs owned by this nation of dog lovers—but also one of the hottest. A lively magnum opus of mutts, The Underdog marries appreciation and practical care in an unexpected book, illustrated throughout with soulful work from artists and photographers like Bruce Weber, Mary Ellen Mark, Robert Risko, Marisa Acocella, and Danny Gregory. Learn mutt history and lore and meet famous mutts, past and present. Celebrate cinematic and literary mutts. Discover the “Mutt Family Tree”—profiles and photos of 75 classic mutt types, from the Rottie mix to the “Heinz 57” (your guess is as good as anyone’s). Plus how mutts differ from their purebred cousins (they tend to live longer, for one thing) and how to be the very best mutt parent you can be, with a comprehensive nuts-and-bolts primer beginning with how to choose your mutt. An appendix connects mutt owners to a universe of products and services, from the only dog seat belt worth buying to the ritziest doggie day care facilities.
As fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi said, “A mutt is couture—it’s the only one like it in the world, made especially for you.”
As fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi said, “A mutt is couture—it’s the only one like it in the world, made especially for you.”
- GenresDogsAnimalsNonfiction
256 pages, Paperback
First published October 3, 2005
31 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 3, 2013
Okay--I'm a mutt. Most of my friends are mutts. President Obama was dignified enough to use the word "mongrel" when describing his own mixed genetic background, but c'mon, Americans--that's what most of us are, regardless of which word you use.
No wonder that Americans love mutts!
While we often favor a certain breed or breeds of purebred canines (I'm convinced there's a basenji out there with room for my name on his collar), the mongrel animal is what I'd call "a REAL dog". Not foo-foo, not fancy, not bred to any particular set of traits (or birth defects) as are most purebreds, mutts are a glorious expression of nature's indulgence of constant change and unpredictability.
One of the features of this book I enjoyed thoroughly was the section on which breeds one is most likely to find in various geographic areas in the nation. If you are one of those people who constantly attempts to figure out just what is in that patchwork, oddly-furred pooch, you'll want to take a look at those pages. Suddenly, you can see the pit bull and the labrador retriever behind that wide but soulful face!
No wonder that Americans love mutts!
While we often favor a certain breed or breeds of purebred canines (I'm convinced there's a basenji out there with room for my name on his collar), the mongrel animal is what I'd call "a REAL dog". Not foo-foo, not fancy, not bred to any particular set of traits (or birth defects) as are most purebreds, mutts are a glorious expression of nature's indulgence of constant change and unpredictability.
One of the features of this book I enjoyed thoroughly was the section on which breeds one is most likely to find in various geographic areas in the nation. If you are one of those people who constantly attempts to figure out just what is in that patchwork, oddly-furred pooch, you'll want to take a look at those pages. Suddenly, you can see the pit bull and the labrador retriever behind that wide but soulful face!
March 30, 2010
This is a nice little book on an interesting topic. We need to celebrate the "average" dog and this book has great topics (not always fully developed) and a stream of consciousness approach that I took as permission to browse and jump to my heart's content. Illustrations are nicely done and add to the experience.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews